Potato harvester machine



Jan. 14, 1936. F. J. RODIN POTATO HARVESTER MACHINE Filed March 4, 19355 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 14, 1936. F J. RODIN 2,027,840

POTATO HARVESTER'MACHINE Filed March 4, 1935 5 sheets sheet 2 Jan. 14,1936. F. J. RODIN 2,027,840

POTATO HARVESTER MACHINE Filed March .4, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 14,1936. F. J. RODIN I 0 POTATO HARVESTER MACHINE Filed March 4, 1935 5Sheets-Sheet 4 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 14, 1936. F. J. RODIN POTATOHARVESTER MACHINE Filed March 4, 1955 Patented Jail. 14.1936

uNi'rEo STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,027,840 POTATO HARVESTER MACHINEFritzJoakim Rodin, Ghatham Center, N. Y. Applicatio March 4, 1935,Serial No. 9,251

' 4 Claims. (01. 55-51) This invention relates to a potato harvestermachine for digging, grading and conveying the potatoes into sacks orthe like.

An improvement object is the provision of an elevator for separating thevines from the potatoes and formeans by agitators to give same a shakingaction up and down for the purpose of removing the potatoes adhering tothe vines.

Another object is a blower for removing leaves, grass and small parts ofvines that otherwise would have to be picked out by hand.

A further object is a grader for grading the potatoes to U. S. standardNo. 1 and No. 2 grades.

Another object is the provision of rotating knives for the purpose ofcutting off vines and weeds that cling on the side in front of thedigger.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view the inventionconsists in arrangement of parts to be more fully described and claimedand illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:'

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking to one side of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 looking towards the other side of themachine.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but is for a two-row machine.

Fig. 5 is a detail in longitudinal section of the grader as seen fromthe rear of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 as seen from the front of themachine.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the grading elevator links showing how same aremade and hooked together.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a cross rod from elevator sorting out the vinesto show how the same is bent to form a hook for catching the vines. Afew links from the chain 5 are shown on this rod.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the device I consists of ashovel secured to the front end of one pair of beams 2. The beams ofeach are arranged in parallel spaced relation resting on a pair ofsupporters which in turn is secured to the axle.

' Positioned between the beams 2 and side cheeks I1 is an elevator forshaking the potatoes from the vines and. for conveying the weeds andvines to the ground in the rear of the machine.

Said elevator consists of three parts, cross bar 3 secured to links 5and three chains l9 fastened to cross bar 3 for the purpose ofpreventing the vines from falling through. This elevator travels over asprocket 53' on shaft 53, agitators 6|, rollers 63 and 64 and aroundroller 65; at this point,

said elevator is resting on elevator 4 (see-Fig. 2). This elevator 4travels in the same direction and at thesame speed and over agitators 66around sprockets on shaft if! over roller 64 and around roller 65. Thepurpose of this elevator is to remove the dirt and to convey thepotatoes on to an elevator disposed at right angles in rear of machine.The elements 6 and 21 are the ground wheels and element l is a chain,said chain receiving power in the ordinary manner from the powertake-off on the tractor which is not shown on the drawings and not partof invention.

The element 8 is ashaft receiving power from chain I and element 9 is achain traveling around a sprocket on shaft 8 and on a sprocket on shaftIll. The chain II is traveling on a sprocket on shaft l 0 and on asprocket on shaft IS.

The element i4 is an elevator disposed at right angles in'rear ofmachine and includes spaced cheeks 43, rollers 44, chain 82 and itssprockets.

Fig. '7 shows details of belts 49 and 50 on larger scale with rods 49'having hooks 49" and partly round holes 50'. See further mention ofthese.

Element 22 consists of two beams arranged in parallel spaced relationsecured underneath the axle. Secured to the beams 22 is a pair ofupstanding bars 23, upper ends of said bars resting on support bars 46.23 are side cheeks 43. The elevator l4 discharges the potatoes upon thelower end of elevator 26,

the latter includes the side cheeks 43 and a pair of endless chains 24and an endless mesh belt 26 and a series of spaced tarriers 25. Theelevator travels over a sprocket on shaft 3! over rollers and underneaththe rollers 44. The spaced carriers fastened to the chain 24 stop at theinside of the chain to allow the chain 24 to pass underneath the rollers44. The side cheeks 43 are over the top of said chains.

The element 34 is a chain traveling around a. sprocket on shaft I0 and asprocket on shaft 28.

The chain 29 is travelling around a sprocket on shaft 28 over idlerrollers 30 and. 32 and traveling Supported from the bars back over topon a sprocket on shaft 3! (see Fig. 3). The element 35 is a chaintraveling around a sprocket on shaft 8 and a sprocket on-shaft 38.

Chain 31 is traveling around a sprocket on shaft 36 and a sprocket onshaft 40. This is for turning blower H. The air from the blower isdischarged at point 42, as potatoes; grass, leaves and small parts ofvines fall down from elevator l4, on to elevator 26. The air from theblower discharges the leaves, grass, etc., on to the ground on the otherside. The potatoes will be carried by elevator and be discharged on tobelt 49.

The element 33 ls a chain traveling around a sprocket on shaft 2| andsprocket on shaft 38. Chain 38 is traveling around a sprocket on shaft38 and over idler rollers 88 and I0 and traveling back over top on asprocket on shaft 68 (see Fig. 5). Chain 82 is traveling around asprocket 88' on shaft 68 and a sprocket on shaft 19.

Elements 48 are side cheeks secured to upstanding supports 41. Thepotatoes fall from elevator 26 on to grading belt 49, said belt conveysthe potatoes to chute I2 and into bags 18 (see Figs. 5 and.6). As thepotatoes are conveyed on to the belt, the potatoes smaller than twoinches drop through on to round bars 60 and roll down on to elevator 50.Said elevator conveys the potatoes to bags or similar containers.

The round bars 60 are spaced to 1 inch openings to allow dirt andpotatoes smaller than 1 inches to fall through. The endless grading belt49 is traveling over sprocket on shaft 69 and on idler rollers 80. Theendless mesh belt 50 travels over a sprocket on shaft 13 and on idlerrollers 83.

Element 13 is a bar bent in such a manner as to form a rectangularopening, each end secured to the grader and having one upstanding bar ineach corner 16. Said bar has a hole at the top 84. Through this hole isa bar having one endbent to form a handle 14, on said bar are securedtwo hooks 15. When handle is turned down, the hooks go through the bagI8 into the front of the sackholder and when the handle is turned up thebag falls off and is transferred by hand to the ground or some vehicleused for carrying said containers of potatoes.

The hooks 'I'I secured to the chute 12 are for hanging the bags on toand when handle is let down the sack will stay in place.

The platforms 5| and 52 are for the purpose of people to stand uponwhile picking out potatoes and the like not marketable.

Platform 6! is for the purpose of having a person stand upon to remove afilled sack or container and put in position an empty container to befilled and for adjusting gate member II when required. The emptycontainers are piled upon the platform 61.

The two-row machine and elevator disposed at right angles to it have theside cheeks l2 cut into two parts at 8| (see Fig. 4) and arrangement isfor the purpose of being able to lower or raise one digger at a timewithout interfering with the other digger.

A lever for lowering or raising is located at the front of each digger.This lever is not shown on the drawings and is not a part of theinvention.

The element 53 (see Fig. 3) is a shaft having a sprocket on each side ofcheck II- The chain 54 is traveling around a sprocket on shaft 53 andsprocket on shaft 55. On said shaft are four rotating knives 56. Anupstanding bar 58 is secured to beams 58 and a plate of steel 51 isseecured to bar 58. The purposes of the knives are for picking up vinesand weeds and to convey same upwardly to be cut off at steel plate 51.

What I claim is:

1. A means in a potato harvester machine for grading potatoes into twodifferent grades and for conveying the potatoes to a chute andsackholder and into containers and for a grading belt consisting of longlinks of round bars bent in spaced places in a way so as to form partlyround holes after links are hooked together.

2. In a potato harvester and grader, in combination: a plow; an agitateddevining elevator leading immediately from the plow; a first potatoelevator having agitating means and surrounded by said deviningelevator; a second potato elevator at right angles to and receiving fromthe first one. its receiving end surrounded by said devining elevator; athird potato elevator at right angles to and receiving from the secondone; a blower discharging between the delivery end of the second, andthe receiving end of the third, potato elevators; a first grading beltat right angles to and receiving from the third potato elevator; asackholder at the delivery end of said first grading belt; a chute whosereceiving end is.surrounded by said first grading belt; a second gradingbelt at right angles to, and receiving from, said chute, and parallel tosaid first grading belt; a sackholder at the delivery end of said secondgrading belt.

3. The subcombination in a potato harvester provided with digging andconveying means, of a sackholder provided with a rectangular openingbounded by a bar bent in two places with its ends attached to thedelivery end of the conveying means and such bends remote therefrom, anupstanding bar adjacent each of said bends, such upstanding bars havingalined. holes receiving a fourth bar, one end of said fourth bar bent toform a handle, the middle portion of said fourth bar provided withbag-holding hooks.

4. In a potato harvester provided with a digger, a hanger at each sideof the digger, a horizontal shaft rotatable in said hanger, saidshaftprovided with curved blades, a vertical metal plate on each hanger,above the shaft for contacting each blade with a shearing action, andmeans for rotating saidshaft in a direction to gather vines and weedsand carry the same into contact with said vertical plate.

